Issues: Family

During a visit to the Boys & Girls Club of Buffalo, Gov. Andrew Cuomo reiterated his proposal to eventually raise the state’s minimum wage to $10.50 an hour. Senator Ortt opposes this measure and instead calls for job training and creating jobs. Read more online at the East Niagara Post.

ALBANY, NY – The New York State Senate Coalition today unveiled a new alarming joint-investigative report, “Keeping Our Children Safe From Sex Offenders,” conducted by the offices of State Senate Coalition Co-Leader Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester) and State Senate Majority Leader Dean G. Skelos (R-Nassau), which uncovered sex offenders living dangerously close to pre-schools in Westchester and Rockland.

The second investigation comes a day after the State Senate passed nine key sex offender bills — including a measure to close the loophole allowing dangerous sex offenders to reside near pre-schools and legislation granting localities the right to toughen residency restrictions for sexual predators.

January 12, 2015 – Today, Senator Ken LaValle announced that New York State Senate passed Women’s Equality Legislation. In its first legislative act of 2015, the New York State Senate approved a comprehensive Women’s Equality Agenda to enhance the rights of women and protect New Yorkers who are most vulnerable to abuse and discrimination.

UTICA – Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D,WF-Queens) and Senator Joseph Griffo (R-Rome) announced that legislation (A8474/S6875) they drafted to protect foster children from being placed in unsuitable homes has been signed into law by Governor Cuomo. The new law creates a formal system for an agency to review and evaluate an applicant’s history if the applicant were to apply to another agency to take in foster children.

"Chanukah is the celebration of miracles, a reminder that all things are possible," Senator Parker said. "As you celebrate the spirit of Chanukah with friends and family, I wish you health, happiness and good fortune." The holiday celebrates a legendary victory of the Maccabees, a band of Jews, over a Greek army that occupied the Holy Land. After the battle, the victorious Maccabees found only a one day supply of oil in the temple to light the lamps. But the oil burned miraculously for eight days, the story says.

Klein, Gjonaj, Community and Faith Leaders, Seniors and Families Join Together to Celebrate the First Night of Hanukkah

BRONX, NY – State Senator Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester), together with Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj (D-Bronx), community and faith leaders, friends and family celebrated the first night of Hanukkah on the evening of December 16th, lighting a ten-foot menorah at Bronx House, Einstein Hospital and White Plains Road and Pelham Parkway South. The celebration marked the group’s 20th annual menorah lighting ceremonies.

Klein, Gjonaj, Community Leaders, Friends & Neighbors Light Up the Community for the Holidays

Bronx, NY – In celebration of the Christmas holiday, State Senator Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester) and Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj (D-Bronx), along with community leaders, families and children, hosted their 19th annual tree lighting in Morris Park and the Pelham Parkway community, on Thursday, December 11th. The tree lighting extravaganza commenced in the late afternoon, with the first event at Rudy Macina Peace Memorial Plaza, followed closely by the tree lighting at Pelham Parkway and White Plains Road.

State Senator Jose Peralta today announced that the reward for information leading to the arrest of Brandee Massey’s killer has been doubled, to $12,000, after securing commitments from Food Bazaar Supermarkets, which is contributing $4,000, and Queens Center, which will donate $2,000.

The pregnant Massey was shot the Wednesday morning before Thanksgiving in her LeFrak City apartment building. Her baby was later delivered, but died within hours.

On the heels of the murder, Senator Peralta announced he was offering a $2,000 reward for information about the shooting and that he had secured a matching donation from the LeFrak City Organization. Added to the police department’s $2,000, the total reward stood at $6,000. The contributions announced today raise the total to $12,000.

“This community has come together not just to mourn Brandee’s tragic loss, but to help bring justice to her family,” Senator Peralta said. “Food Bazaar Supermarkets and Queens Center have deep roots in this community and understand that the most important thing we can do right now for the Massey family is to help law enforcement bring Brandee’s killer to justice and make whoever is responsible pay for this brutal crime.”

The owners of Food Bazaar Supermarkets said that, “We at Food Bazaar Supermarkets are stunned and saddened to hear about the fatal shooting of Brandee Anastasia Massey and her child. The Food Bazaar Supermarket chain has been a part of this community since 1988 and would like to pledge its support for information leading to the arrest of Brandee’s killer. We are offering $4,000. We hope that this will help those people who know something step forward and help justice be served on behalf of this young woman, her child and her grieving family.

In statement, Queens Center Mall said that, “The Queens Center family extends its deepest condolences to the Massey family. We thank Senator Peralta for his leadership at this difficult time and hope that our contribution to the reward will help bring a measure of consolation to Brandee’s loved ones.”

Anyone with information is urged to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers, at (800) 577-TIPS, or text to 274637 (CRIMES), then enter TIPS577. A tipster's cell phone number will not be displayed or traced. A tip can also be submitted online, at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.

BRONX, NY - With Thanksgiving just around the corner, State Senator Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester) today announced the donation of more than 100 turkeys to numerous organizations, local groups and residents across the 34th Senate District. On Monday he visited grandmothers planning Thanksgiving meals at the Pelham Parkway Houses, which is home to some 2,500 children and families. The donation was made in conjunction with the Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) Program.

"The good news is that millions of upstanding, hardworking undocumented immigrants will now be able to continue contributing to our economy without having to live and work in fear of deportation.

"The bad news is that millions of other upstanding, hardworking undocumented immigrants will remain in the shadows of our economy and society.

"President Obama is to be applauded for taking a strong first step toward long-overdue reform of our broken immigration system. Like the president, we in New York should not wait on Congress to make additional necessary repairs.

"The DREAM Act is sensible, compassionate public policy. It is the law in Texas, a red state, California, a blue state, and New Mexico, a purple state. Here, the New York DREAM Act is supported by editorial boards throughout the state, including those at newspapers as different as the New York Post, The New York Times and the Daily News.

"Let’s follow the bipartisan example of the five states that have already passed a DREAM Act. Let's collaborate in New York on making an investment in our young people, our economy and our state’s future that will pay for itself several times over."

(Brooklyn, NY) - Senator Kevin Parker today announced new support by New York for post-partum services to new mothers and their families. The legislation signed into law today was introduced by Senator Liz Krueger, cosponsored by Senator Parker and five other Senators, and passed both houses of the Legislature with bi-partisan support.

Here is a partial listing of bills I have supported this session to aid New York’s former servicemen and servicewomen. These initiatives will now go to Governor Cuomo for final action.

-- Legislation I co-sponsored was passed by both houses (S.7839, first introduced as S.4714)) to extend the Military Service Credit Law of 2000 to all veterans who have served in the military. Right now, public employees who served in the armed forces may purchase up to three years of pension credit only if their military service occurred during specified conflicts. This measure will expand this opportunity to public employee veterans who also served their country in peacetime.

The New York State Senate gave final legislative passage today to legislation (S7883), sponsored by Senator John Bonacic (R-C-I, Mount Hope), that would help alleviate a backlog of cases in the state’s family courts by creating 25

Senate and Assembly Reach Agreement on Allocation of New Family Court Judges

ALBANY - To address a record number of cases, Chautauqua County will have an additional Family Court judge to alleviate a huge backlog.

After sponsoring legislation to elect an additional judge to relieve the overwhelming caseload in Chautauqua County Family Court, Senator Catharine Young (R,C,I-Olean) announced today that an agreement has been reached between the state Senate and Assembly to double the county’s number of Family Court judges from one to two.